After months of beta testing, Google pushed Android 13 to AOSP and seeded the update for compatible Pixel phones in mid-August. Despite fixing over 150 Pixel-specific bugs, the update was not entirely without issues. Reports soon popped up after the OS's release about users running into wireless charging and RCS problems. That's not the only issue Pixel owners are facing after installing Android 13, though. Many Pixel 6 users are struggling with severe battery drain that is forcing them to charge their phones multiple times throughout the day.

Google's support forum and Twitter are filled with complaints from frustrated Pixel 6 owners about their phone's battery life tanking on Android 13. Most users report their Pixel 6 or 6 Pro is now struggling to get through a day of use without a top-up in the afternoon. The issue seems to primarily affect Google's flagship phones from 2021, as there are no such complaints from Pixel 4a or 5a users. We've also noticed poorer battery life and increased idle drain on one of our Pixel 6 units in the weeks after installing the latest Android release. As of now, there does not seem to be any concrete fix or workaround for the increased idle drain. Your only option is to not upgrade your Pixel from Android 12 to Android 13 if you have not already done so.

Google is yet to acknowledge the issue. The company does have a support page on battery drain problems for Pixel phones that you can follow to see if that helps. It is common to notice increased battery drain on most smartphones after installing a major OS update, as multiple optimization processes run in the background. Battery life usually returns to normal after a few days of use, but that is seemingly not happening with several Pixel 6 users on Android 13. This suggests that the issue could be related to an underlying bug.

Google could silently address the battery drain problem and other lingering Android 13 bugs with the upcoming September 2022 security patch.